Hope you liked our ‘Reflections on Key Content Marketing Principles—Part 1’. Here is the next post in the series. In this piece, we focus on ways to communicate more effectively, protect your brand’s identity and get the most from your content.
Internal marketing is more important than external marketing.
This might sound like crazy talk, but allow us to explain. The best way to drive acquisition and retention of customers is to focus on your customer-facing and customer-touching employees. Think about investing more in internal marketing, promotion and branding and getting your employees more immersed in the demand generation process.
Focus on the needs of the customer rather than what you are selling.
So many companies focus on pushing their product or service on their customers rather than looking at what their customers want or need. Why not offer some useful advice or tips and tricks alongside your sales copy? Not only will you be giving your customers some relief with a softer sell, but they will also appreciate that you are thinking about their needs very seriously.
Your rivals can copy everything you do, but they can’t be you. Differentiate using unique content.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but not when there is money to be made. If your competitors are always copying your every move, head them off at the pass by constantly reviewing your content strategy. Keep them guessing. This might involve using video blogs instead of the written word, or getting a guest blog posted on a high profile site. It’s only when you stop moving and become rigid that your rivals will get the upper hand.
Always communicate directly with your customers.
Have you noticed how the dialogue between companies and customers has changed dramatically over the last few years? Once upon a time, customers would need to call a number to get in touch with a company, but today there are so many more options. By holding meaningful conversations with your customers, you build rapport and trust. These in turn can breed sales and profits. Keep the conversation going. Whether it’s over social media, email or the trusted telephone, your customers will love you for it.
You’re a publisher; you just don’t know it yet!
Whether you are writing daily social media updates or posting to a blog, you are a publisher. Anything you make available on the web and which can be read by an online user is a published piece of copy. Remember to make every piece of copy that you publish count. And it will only count when it adds something of value to the intended audience.
Look out for Part 3 in our series coming next week. To find out more, call MintCopy at 888-646-8003 or send us an email.